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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. current — of water
  5. bank — for money
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. current — happening now
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bank — for money
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. current — electric
  19. bat — the animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bat — for baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com